Case Study

06_00130 Scruffy S Thickened urinary bladder wall

A 4-year-old SF Maine Coon was presented for evaluation of urinary incontinence, hematuria, struvite crystalluria, and defecating outside the box. The signs had started about 6 months prior to assessment and there was urinary incontinence while walking. The only abnormalities on physical examination were a small firm/thickened bladder and hard feces. Urinalysis revealed struvite crystals with normal SG.

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis

Severe bladder wall thickening with minor sand. Bladder wall differentials include interstitial cystitis, bacterial cystitis, bladder lymphoma or primary congenital, muscular dysplasia. Surgical biopsies are strongly recommended. Guarded prognosis.

Image Interpretation

The urinary bladder presented significant concentric thickening with loss of detail that measured up to 0.77 cm. Focal areas of mineralization and coarse architecture was noted. A slight amount of sand accumulation was noted. The urethra was unremarkable.

DX

Severe bladder wall thickening

Outcome

None

Clinical Differential Diagnosis

Bladder – interstitial cystitis, uroliths, bacterial cystitis, neoplasia, congenital small bladder
Neurological – lumbo-sacral instability, neoplasia, fracture